Dan Cevette
Director, New York

I get asked a lot of questions about baseball, mainly about Pitching. I was a Professional Baseball Pitcher for 11 years in three different MLB Organizations where I was able to fill my knowledge bank on pitching from some impressive instructors. John Farrell, Scott Radinsky, Charles Nagy, and Steve Belcher just to name a few, and I have also picked the brain of Giants Gold Glove Catcher Kurt Manwaring (1992) a time or two. It's the heart and soul of the game, let's get to it.

*If you haven't noticed a lot of the topics roll into each other, so follow along and use what helps, disregard what does not. 

Controlling Your Emotions
Pitching is an emotional roller coaster, plenty of ups and downs surface during each season, each game and even each batter you face. If you have pitched long enough, and at a high enough level you can certainly relate to the challenges this can create. Lets go over some helpful pointers that might be of some assistance when your emotions start getting the best of you.

Mind In the Moment
You have heard me say this before, and I will continue saying this, if you are serious about becoming the best all around pitcher possible you must find a way to keep your mind in the moment. This game is extremely hard to play, so if you let it speed up and become fast in your mind, the score will be 6-0 before you even have the chance to blink. That last pitch, 375 foot monster bomb doesn't matter anymore, as a pitcher we need to focus and execute the next pitch. That perfectly located fastball at the knees for strike three that was just called a ball, so what, get the ball back and execute another pitch.

I used to let the small things cloud up my careers big picture, my past outings would now effect current ones. Walks would lead to even more walks. Bad body Language would lead to mound visits, and hitters were licking their chops for a chance to square up against me. This was all part of the roller coaster free fall. I remember one day in the summer of 2004 it all just clicked, the only thing that mattered to me was the current task at hand. My training and preparation became razor sharp, my routines unvarying and my outings were more efficient. In 45 innings I had over 50 strike outs, an ERA of 1.45 and the best stat of them all only five walks. I pitched with my mind on the batter, on the current pitch, and I found success.

*Focus on executing the next pitch
*Slow your breathing down
*Try and ride a middle wave, not too high and not too low
*Step off the mound, regroup, attack with conviction
*It's just a game - Baseball is not life or death, relax and enjoy it

Pitching 101, Dedication: Do you have what it takes to be special?
Pitching is the most important aspect of baseball, without a pitcher there would be no game, and the most successful ones put far more time into pitching than most may think. The time and dedication needed to become the best possible pitcher your skill-set allows won't come easy, here's a look at what the best of the best are doing.

I think first we need to be an honest evaluator, know what you do well as a pitcher, and know what you do not do so well on the mound. Does your arm strength need a serious overhaul? Does your control need some fine tuning? Is your mental preparation needing more focus? Once we have looked at what we honestly need to work on we can start the process.

Strength Training & Conditioning
Physical training measures should be in place for any serious athlete, especially a serious minded pitcher. Pitching a baseball is unnatural and takes a toll on the arm and body over a long season. Strength Training can help have your arm and body ready for combat, strong enough to withstand the daily grind, and helps with injury prevention. A strong conditioning program will allow the pitcher to have the stamina to go out and compete with everything they have, inning after inning. How Often Should a Pitcher Be Training? During the Off-Season a minimum of three days a week with very intense effort is needed. How Often Should a Pitcher Be Conditioning? Five days a week should be dedicated to a serious running program.

Arm and Throwing Program
This is the tricky part, because there are 2 million guys out there with 2 million different philosophies and programs, pitchers are often impressed with whats new vs. whats needed. In order to throw a baseball harder a few things are absolutes: You need a very strong backside (Shoulders, Scaps, Lats, Low Back) and you need an increase in total overall body strength. Those two things will increase velocity with no actual throwing program. Looking at a Throwing Program there are so many options and opinions its hard to really point in one direction, so I will give you a program I used from my past that helped me in the off-season. I used to throw into a net or tarp 25 throws with a normal baseball, and 25 throws with a 6 oz baseball, and 10 throws with a tennis ball at my best effort (I was completely loose and warmed up prior to the sets). After two weeks I would increase my volume by five extra throws. I did this for a total of eight weeks leading up to bullpens and the start of Spring Training. I had the best Spring Training of my life and my velocity was up about 3 MPH from the year prior. I am not saying that this will work for everyone, but It certainly helped me and won't hurt you.

Heart
Being a sucessful pitcher takes hard work, time, and a lot of heart. If you can't dig deep inside your chest and find the will to be great, if you don't have that feeling deep inside your chest that gives you the "Bulldog" mentality, then possibly pitching is not for you. Some of the most impressive guys at the professional level weren't always the most talented, but the warriors with the most heart, the most passion and belief that they were unstoppable, those guys were the fun ones to watch. I remember watching my close friend Aaron Laffey carve up the New York Yankees franchise lineup, like they were steaming hot turkey on Thanksgiving day. He was a lefty who stood 5-foot-10, 195-pounds with the heart and mentality of a caged beast. His fastball then was only 83-87 mph, but he attacked hitters like he was Aroldis Chapman with triple digit heat. It really goes to show you that conviction, belief, and heart can take you much further than raw talent.

*Whatever you think you are doing now, triple it and start working HARD
*Mechanics in the Mirror; Probably the most under sold drill in all of Pitching. Shame on you Pitching Coaches
*Before School workouts, Let's see if you have the heart to get up at 5:30 am and get better
*Find a program that works for you and sellout. Do it as if it's part of your breathing, become a creature of habit
*Find the HEART to be special, maximize what God gave you, and REMEMBER Baseball owes you NOTHING.

Pitching 101, Fall and Winter Training
*Remember these are just my suggestions, and not the end all be all way to prepare this fall and winter*

Summer is winding down, travel ball is almost over, and our pitching arms have been going since March. Remember our arms like just like any other muscle we train, the more we properly train our arm the stronger it will get. The only difference we should be mindful of is giving our throwing arm about 6 weeks off of throwing. My recommendation would be November through December taking a break. I would continue to train the entire body while giving your arm a break allowing the arm to have a much stronger foundation once you start up again. 

Things to keep in mind as you move forward with your arm this fall and winter
*Continue throwing until sometime in October, I don't care if you play a fall sport, find time to keep your arm working
*Take roughly 6-7 week off from throwing come November
*Have a serious weight training program designed specifically for pitchers (I can help you with one)
*Have a serious throwing program ready designed for health and arm strength when you start up again
*Allow plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming season, if you think your ready, your probably three weeks off!

Pitching 101, The Curveball
The pitch every 10 year old, and 10 year old's dad need in the bag of pitches; not so fast, remember knowledge is power, so here's some vital information regarding the infamous curveball.

I never learned to throw a curveball until I was 16 years old. There are many different theories out there about when is the right or wrong time to start learning. First let's understand the curveball is a 'spin' pitch. The more spin put on the baseball the more action it will have. Contrary to what most may believe, the curveball spin is generated by the outside of the index finger as it releases the ball and begins to push outward pronating. Torquing and cupping your wrist is not a proper technique and is quiet frankly dangerous. That is why it is advised you wait until your muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones are all strong enough to handle all the bad techniques. Even then, bad techniques will lead to serious injury and an early exit from the mound for good.

So what is the proper way to throw a curveball?
The grip is important but never allow someone to tell you it is the end all be all. The grip has to be comfortable, and powerful it's that simple. A comfortable grip will help with spin and feel (control) while the power will increase hand speed, creating velocity. Put those together, with a few other tricks, and you are safely on your way to throwing some serious benders.

When I think fastball I think hand behind the baseball, four seam spin, and a ton of hand speed. A curveball is really no different at all. The grip is different and you want your hand more on top and to the side of the baseball, other then that its the same pitch. We want spin and hand speed. **I was told to pretend a string was hanging in front of my face and I needed to pull it down hard at release. This can help if you remember the hand stays on top of the baseball and fast hand speed pulling down hard before pronation will generate a ton of spin**

Tips:
+Strengthen your forearm, wrist, and fingers if you want to throw a nasty bender
+Understand where the spin comes from and how your arm pronates after release
+Stop twisting, torquing, cupping your wrist
+Fingers on top of the baseball slightly off centered for best action
+Pull down hard at release creating more hand speed and spin
+Understand arm slots and curveball shapes (low 3/4 slot will not have a 12/6 shape)
+It's a 'spin' pitch, some of us got it, some of us don't
+Never fall in love with it, we need hand speed to throw it effectively, so throw your curveball off of your FB

Pitching 101, Pitching Inside
I used to attack hitters like most of us attack hitters. Throwing away - away - away. I never got hurt that way, and being from the Northeast and a LHP throwing over 90 mph, I had a lot of success just throwing the ball hard past guys. I was forced to change everything I thought I knew about pitching when I entered professional baseball. I am here today to try and help you understand the power of the inside fastball, and hopefully help you develop that into your mix sooner vs later.

Pitching inside is probably the most effective way to attack hitters at any level of baseball. It allows you to control the plate, the at-bat, and even each pitch. However, I did not always feel that way, it took me a couple years of struggling in the minor leagues to truly understand it. So why pitch inside?

For one, most hitters can not handle the inside pitch. Most hitters can not get their hands inside the ball quick enough to handle any kind of velocity inside, and still cover the outside part of the plate. Hitters try a few things to combat the inside fastball, one being they cheat and open up their hips early allowing their hands to get further inside the ball. The problem with this is they now they have committed to the inside pitch and inside pitch only. Another options hitters like to try is setting up way off the plate, daring you to throw them outside. These hitters just want to get their long arms and hands extended middle and middle away. I have been duped by these type of hitters plenty times before, trust me when I say they do not want the ball in at all.

If you can learn to attack hitters inside you will, as a result, own the outside part of the plate by default. I survived 11 years off of hard in, and soft away. The better you get at your control the more effective you can be at throwing in. Throw in for strikes, throw in for balls, make the hitter commit early where hes going. If hes opening up early then you have the outer part of the plate to beat him with. If he is staying inside the ball well you can stay in trying to get him to move his feet or body disrupting his timing. Most hitters will give up on the inside pitch too early as well, so keep throwing it and stay aggressive with it.

Keys to Throwing Inside
*Throw inner 3rds just under the hands
*Stay inside and trust it
*Win the inner half so you can control the outer half
*Remember no hitter can cover the entire plate well
*Hard in almost always creates soft away success

Pitching 101, Shut Down Innings
What is a shut down inning?

A shut down inning in my opinion is any inning after momentum has been gained by your team. Example would be top of the first your team just scored 3 runs, you have the momentum, and you need to keep it. We as pitchers tend to see this as a sense of urgency, complacency or even in some cases fear. Let's discuss this a bit deeper and see what we can do in those situations.

I remember my first AA start for the Akron Aeros in Binghamton NY back in 2006. Score was 0-0 going into the third inning and we went off for a 6 spot sending the opposing starter to the showers early. I was excited because this was my first start in AA and now I had a 6-run lead. I went out into the bottom of the third and gave up four runs. I walked three and gave up four hits. My day too now was over, wondering what in the hell just happened.

I had my opportunity to keep momentum and shut down the B-Mets in the third but I lost my aggressiveness. I changed me game plan from attack until my last pitch, to you can cruise now with a lead. I lost my control and ability to keep batters on their toes, they became very comfortable in the batters box and the result was four hard hit balls and four earned runs.

If you have fear of "what if" what if they score now.. You will never be able to compete at a high level consistently. If you go into the shut down inning saying "I am just going to cruise now" watch out! here comes a ball off your forehead..Hitters don't just cruise, they attack, so do we.

What can you do as a pitcher to try and eliminate what I experienced?
*Stay Aggressive and stick to your game plan
*Forget about "Shutting down the inning" its too much during competition, be prepared for that prior
*It's human nature but never let up just because you have a lead, smell the blood in the water....
*ATTACK

Pitching 101, The Fifth Inning
The first, fifth, and ninth inning have always been special innings to pitchers. To me the first and the fifth were always the worst, and the hardest to escape. The fifth inning in baseball signifies a baseball game as official in the record book. It also means if a pitcher makes it through the fifth inning he is the pitcher of record, meaning he is now eligible for the win.

I love sharing my experiences, hoping someone can apply things I have learned and use them to grow in the game. The fifth inning is no exception, as this was something I fought very hard with for a number of years. The first inning as we talked about before is very challenging in itself, but the fifth holds the most meaning to us pitchers. Any pitcher that has one ounce of competitive fire inside him wants to win. We play to have fun, but its fun to win. Here's what I have learned regarding the fifth inning.

In my second year of Pro baseball I was sent to extended spring training and most likely back to rookie ball for a second year. That was very typical for a HS drafted kid, but to me it was heart breaking and not acceptable. I then started down an awful path of chasing numbers, and setting unrealistic goals. My main goal now all shifted to getting the "W." I knew if I wanted to get moved up and eventually make it to the big leagues I needed to have stupid numbers. In reality what I found out was numbers in the minor leagues, especially rookie ball, mean nothing, it's all about developing. I was on a pitch count that year in extended spring training of 75 pitches. I knew to get through the fifth inning I needed be more efficient with my pitches. What I found happening was just the opposite, a lot of 3-2 counts and early exits from the game.

Instead of going out and competing, letting the chips fall where they may, I was letting outside goals effect my performances in the game. The best in the game can go out and toe the rubber every time they are given the opportunity and compete. My second year in Professional baseball had me chasing the fifth inning and stopped me from competing, don't let that happen to you.

Keys to not letting the fifth inning stop you:
*Set Realistic goals - Batter to Batter goals vs The end result before you start
*Be aware the fifth inning has its significant meaning but stay consistent in your approach
*Showing Want or Concern for a certain goal during an outing will only hinder the performance
*Attack each inning as its own three out game, those three outs are all that matters
*Be a competitor above all else - Want the ball - Compete !

Pitching 101, Umpires
Umpires were set in place a long, long time ago to officiate the game of baseball and keep order. Their job is simply put; to call balls and strikes, fair or foul, out or safe, basically that's it. We as pitcher's however believe the umpire was designed to make our life a living hell, squeeze us, manipulate the game and as a result he swims freely in our minds, outing after outing. I'm here to set the record straight on Umpires.

In some very rare, unfortunate situations maybe those earlier comments are correct, the umpire is personally trying to dictate an outcome. In about 99 % of every other situation he really is not. Remember umpires are humans, humans make mistakes, and mistakes are part of life. We as pitchers need to remember the umpire can not control where we throw the ball, and the pitcher can not control the umpires calls on balls or strikes. As soon as the pitcher believes he can, the outing is doomed for failure.

I used to use the umpire as an excuse when I was just starting my professional career. I was 18 years old and until then, I was always in successful situations on the mound. So naturally when things started going south in Pro baseball, the umpire was an easy target. I remember one outing against the Dansville Braves, I lasted 3 innings, gave up 6 earned runs, and 11 hits. After the game I was very down, the pitching coach asked me what happened and what was I thinking. My first response was "some of those pitches were good, he wouldn't give me anything on the corners". The pitching coach replied " did he force you to throw those balls down the middle that got crushed"? Humbling right? I got his point, and knew if I wanted to stay in the game for a long time I would need to eliminate outside sources, and only focus on what I could control. Remember "Mind in the Moment"

Remember these things when you think an Umpire is taking YOU out of the game:
* You only can take YOURSELF out of the game
* Never give in, stick to the plan, attack
* Take responsibility/accountability for your outings, the game will respect you that
* A negative response to an umpires call will only effect your ability to throw the next pitch
* Humans are not perfect, never expect the strike zone to stay consistent, never!

Pitching 101, The Art of Attacking Hitters
As pitchers we should take the responsibility of truly knowing how to attack hitters. Remember that batter is trying to hit the ball square off your forehead, so let's take this serious and personal. What does attacking a hitter mean? Well it does not mean physcially attack him, or throw at them, it simply means we as pitchers are prepared enough to go to battle with the hitter and use our strengths against their weaknesses. Here's what I have learned about attacking hitters.

Let's first start this by saying batters get themselves out 70 percent of the time on average. That's an important stat to remember because sometimes attacking hitters simply means throwing strikes down in the zone. Other times attacking hitters can be very complex and calculated. Let's now dig deep on that topic:

I would always look at the hitters approach, where he stands in the box, and where his hands are positioned. There are a few type of hitters, long swing extension guys, and short compact quick wrist guys. Not always, but most times long swing guys setup off the plate. They typically want to get their hands extended, and although they are off the plate, they can easily handle the outer third of the dish. Most inexperienced pitchers would throw these type of hitters away because of their setup, only to feed right into the hands of the hitter. If he's off the plate chances are hard fastballs inside will beat him. Advantage YOU. Now on the flip side when a batter is all over the plate, chances are he does not handle the outside pitch well, and he is typically a dead pull hitter. Although pitching away might seem wrong here, it will likely get roll over ground balls all day long.

Remember we always pitch to our strengths. If throwing fastballs inside is your game plan then we stick to it. Just remember batters want to hit comfortable. Changing eye levels, moving their feet, and changing speeds are a pitchers defense against hitters timing. If we can disrupt a hitters timing, we win. Another small tip in affecting timing is following these Arm Speed Rules: Hard - Hard - Soft, Soft - Hard - Hard, Hard - Soft - Hard, Hard - Soft - Soft, Soft - Soft - Hard. As a rule we never want to throw three same pitch speeds in a row, unless velocity is clearly beating the hitter. The same applies with location, we never want to throw three concecutuve pitches in the same location, unless again velocity is overpowering the batter.

Try some of these tips out next time you toe the rubber and see if you can start identifying what type of hitter is stand in the box. Good luck.


Pitching 101, The Big Inning
We just talked about making adjustments during an outing, now let's take that a step further and talk about the dreaded "BIG INNING" most of us have experienced as a pitcher.

What is a big inning? A big inning is what we like to refer to as, any inning where 3 or more runs  are scored. Pitching Coaches will use the term "Stop the bleeding" or "Damage control" all referring back to the phrase "The Big Inning". If you have pitched long enough you have experienced this situation, so let's talk about it, and find a way to minimize the destruction.

How do big innings happen? For starters we as pitchers let the game speed up, we refuse to accept it or be aware of the danger coming, we do not make adjustments, and we stop attacking batters because of fear.

I remember back in the New York Penn League in 2004 I was facing the Auburn Double Days,  who in fact had the best wining percentage in all of professional baseball. From the start of the game I was defeated, I was fearing their lineup and I was pitching scared. When I finally caught my breath they had scored seven runs in the first inning while I only had two outs. The game over powered me and I never realized the situation until I was sitting on the bench wondering what the hell just happened. From that day forward I put a lot of focus on stopping "The Big Inning" and here's some things that worked.

* Keep your tempo fluid but slower (pitchers in danger tend to speed up, creating bad mechanics and more trouble)
* Make adjustments pitch by pitch
* Gather yourself, take a walk around the mound, forget the past
* Believe you are better than the hitter, Throw every pitch with total conviction
* Pound the zone (Walks almost always score, Attack)


Pitching 101, Making Adjustments
If you have been around baseball more than a few years the famous saying "baseball is a game of adjustments" I'm sure rings a familiar sound. The reality is if you have played the game long enough, and at a high enough level, that saying is absolutely correct. As a pitcher maybe more than any other position making adjustments could make or break your career. Here's what I have learned about Making Adjustments:

What type of adjustments should a pitcher make?

Well for starters a pitcher must know his abilities, his strengths and weaknesses, and he should have a routine that he knows through and through. If you find yourself throwing balls high, if you know your mechanics, you know you need to get out in front more with an emphasis on extension. A quick fix I learned in pro ball was changing my eye levels if I was having trouble with my control. Try looking lower or higher depending on the issue but, It's a quick adjustment that could help keep you in the game.

Being your own pitching coach is something I preach to all the kids I work with now. I can't be out there on the mound telling "little Johnny" what he needs to do pitch by pitch, the fact of the matter is no coach can. Being your own pitching coach is simple, learn your mechanics, know what helps get you back on track, and stay the course. Often too many times, especially young arms will change who they are continually looking for the magic fix. The cold hard reality is, in baseball there are no magic fixes, there is simply ONLY hard work, and making adjustments.

Now we know what kind of pitcher we are, and we have become our own pitching coach, what other things should a pitcher know about making adjustments?

Stay Rational, Not Emotional. Emotions are great and some of us feed off the power it brings, but a pitcher who reacts emotionally vs. thoughtfully will find more trouble down the road of emotions. A thoughtful pitcher can regroup, refocus, and do this pitch by pitch. An emotional pitcher still remembers the 3 run monster HR hit three innings ago, never really letting himself refocus on getting outs. If the two arms are equal in talent, any good pitching coach will tell you a thoughtful pitcher will win every time over an emotional one. The greatest advice I was ever given was by the Cleveland Indians Sports Psychologist John Couture, his advice was simple, "Mind in the Moment" that's it. 

Here's a few keys that should help you make adjustments
*Be your own pitching coach
*Stay Rational, Not Emotional
*Make Adjustments after each inning, after each batter, after each pitch
*Know your Routine/Game Plan and establish what went wrong, and what adjustment you want to make
*Deep breath before every pitch
*Change Eye levels when looking at your target
*Mind in the Moment
*Attack

Pitching 101, The Strikeout
Arguably the most desirable outcome for any pitcher at any level is the strikeout. Most Young Pitcher's define their outing by how many runs they allowed and by how many strikeouts they recorded. I was that young pitcher with those expectations, and I too fell to the power of the strikeout. Here's what I have learned:

What should first be established by any pitcher is knowing what kind of pitcher he is. What kind of pitches does he have? How honest and realistic are we being? Personally I was a fastball / change up pitcher. I knew my breaking pitch was very under developed and I stayed away from it. I used my breaking ball as a "show me" pitch or when I was ahead in the count. What kind of pitcher are you?

Once you know your strengths as a pitcher you can accurately define your type. Are you a contact pitcher that relies on control? Are you a fastball guy that tries to over power the hitter? Are you balanced with a plus three pitch mix at your disposal? Now we can accurately define if strikeouts are truly our friend or foe.

Strikeouts happen when one of these three things take place. The pitcher overpowers the batter with fastball speed, secondly, the pitcher can beat the hitter with control and movement breaking timing, and changing eye levels or lastly, the hitter chases bad pitches getting himself out. Once I understood these things I began to pitch to first pitch contact looking for a quick out, what ended up happening as a result of pounding the strike zone I was in pitcher's counts all the time. When a pitcher is ahead with two strikes he can then go for the "kill". My 'rule of thumb' was 0-2, 1-2, 2-2 counts I was going for the strikeout. Any other count I was pounding the strike zone looking for contact.

Another important part to the game is knowing when a strikeout is needed, a crucial part of the game for example: Bases Loaded-No outs-8th inning-Tie Game. That situation makes a strikeout very desirable. Remember to be aggressive but aggressiveness is only heightened as far as your control is maintained. When in doubt fastball down in the strike zone works the best.

Overview:
*Know what kind of pitcher you are and be honest
*Know your strikeout pitch and use it effectively in the right counts
*Pitch to first pitch contact and let strikeouts happen
*Know your 'Rule of Thumb' regarding strikeout counts
*Know the game situation

Pitching 101, The Change up
To me it's the best pitch in all of baseball if thrown correct. It's not a fancy pitch so most young arms don't work on it enough to see the benefits. A curveball is tough on our arm and especially on a young elbow, not to mention most kids twist their wrist when attempting to throw the curveball trying to make the ball break which I hope we all know is not correct. At a young age between 10-15 a curveball will dominate hitters, it's that simple. Coaches love it, kids have amazing LL stats, and the change up sits on a shelf collecting dust staying underdeveloped. Again the best pitch in the Major Leagues is a change up. Why?

So let's back up a little and say that the best pitch in baseball is a well thrown, located fastball. Most good pitching coaches would agree to that, because we can't be affective without throwing a fastball. So let's say the fastball is the best pitch, and the change up is the best compliment to that pitch. I'll explain.

The higher level you play the better the hitters are. The better the hitter the better the hands and eyes. The good ones can pick up spin pitches like sliders and curveballs, even if it's a nasty pitch and they can still fight it off. The reason the changeup is so effective is because it has the same spin of your fastball out of the hand. The hitter never sits on a change up, so he's ready to attack the fastball and now he's out in front and a cheap bloop hit is likely his best defense.

*Some tips when learning / throwing the change up
-If you just threw a four-seam fastball then throw a four seam changeup /Same goes for 2-seam
-Try dragging your back foot to slow your backside down while still keeping fastball hand speed
-Throw your change up with conviction
-Know fastball counts and throw the change up when your comfortable in those counts. (2-1,3-1, 3-2. 0-0)

Hope this helps when your trying to tighten up your pitching repertoire. A Fastball - Change up combination kept me in the game pitching 11 years professionally all the way up to AAA. I came in one game in the 8th inning to face the No. 4 hitter, I threw him four straight change ups. He struck out, it works.

Pitching 101, Arm Strength and Protection
This is the most talked about topic in baseball and the one that everyone has an opinion on. I am happy to share my thoughts and experiences regarding this topic as it was just asked to me by a parent on the phone earlier.

Arm strengthening should be done in the off season leading up to the start of your spring season. This should go in phases, and remember every building ever constructed had a foundation. How strong the foundation beneath determined how long the structure stood issue free. So for the time being let's focus on building that foundation strong which will make the finished product that much better.

Want a strong arm? It starts with your physical conditioning and training. Training our body to handle the stresses of pitching is no easy task. Strong legs, core, and back are all very important to a baseball player. Remember as a rule of thumb when your working out you should always train your back 2:1 in comparison to your chest. (Looking good at the beach won't make you a better pitcher, sorry boys) Two back exercises for every chest exercise you do. When we start throwing, naturally the front of your shoulder and chest get stronger, but the back of your shoulder, rotator cuffs and scaps take a beating. We need those areas as trained and conditioned as possible to handle the throwing motion. The back of the shoulder, low back and triceps work hard to slow down the arm after the baseball is released. Having these areas extra conditioned and strong will increase your velocity and durability.

Lets get to the throwing:
Everyone talks about long toss and has the next best program to increase velocity. I am here to be honest and realistic with you. You can gain velocity for sure, there's no question, but how much really is determined by your natural god given ability, your work ethic and your total body strength. Here is my suggestions regarding throwing programs and building that endurance up prior to your spring season.

Start throwing three times a week 10 weeks out from your season. Let's just say Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Start with 25 throws at 60 feet and at 75 feet for the first week. Second week we will stay with 25 throws but go 75 feet and 90 feet. (All baseballs on a line, no shoulder tilt) After week two is completed your arm will already be in good throwing shape. Week three and four will be Tuesday and Thursday at 35 throws at 120-150 feet. Days you feel good in between you can play normal catch. Weeks five through seven we really want to test the arm. Get loose and go as far as you can keeping the ball on a line with as little arc as possible and throw 30 throws x two. Try and do that three times a week. Week eight through ten we will obviously start getting on a mound and throwing bullpens and being ready for game action. But this should get your arm in better shape than it has ever been.

*NOTE: Don't forget we are working out and conditioning our bodies and arm throughout this whole process. Listen to your body, if your extra sore take a few days off. Same goes for your arm, you can always back off the throttle if your body is telling you to.

Pitching 101, Anxiety
Performance anxiety is probably the most common feeling pitchers have leading up to their outing. This feeling is completely normal but for some it can create barriers between peak performance and never reaching their true potential. The greatest pitchers in the game have found a way to compete at a high level with anxiety. It's your turn....

Performance anxiety is considered to be a heighten arousal which takes place either before tor during the outing. The reason we get that feeling is because of the threatening situations pitching can present. The best pitchers allow this feeling of anxiety to result in extreme focus, which in most cases results in quality outings and innings pitched. As I said before, this is the most normal feeling any athlete experiences before competition, but finding a way to turn that feeling into focus is your key to handling anxiety.

For my first three years in professional baseball I worried about the results in my outing. My potential was high but my performance was average, in three years I averaged a 4.2 ERA. My ability was not holding me back, it was my anxiety. I started to trust my ability and started to use my nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach as a powerful force, allowing me to pitch with confidence and conviction. In my first seven starts of my fourth year I had a 1.25 ERA with only five walks over 45 innings. I believe me controlling my anxiety and using it as a tool for focus is what created my special start to the season. Try a few of these things below:

*Keys to handling Anxiety
-Try listening to music to help relieve anxiety symptoms
-Take a deep breath, step off the mound and refocus
-Chewing gun can help with anxiety
-Remember your game plan

Pitching 101, Rest
The four letter word that should mean the most to any serious player, coach, or parent is rest. We all know throwing a baseball overhand is unnatural, and everyone's arm has so many throws unnaturally inside it before things can go south. This starts at the little league level and gets dramatically worse as the players get older, stronger, and coaches ride the hot hand.

In baseball we have several "Golden Rules" to follow as guidelines or prevention of overuse in throwing. A nice rule to follow is number of innings pitched = days of rest between competitive outings. It really blows my mind when I hear people tell me their son pitched on a Monday 2 innings, Wednesday 7 innings, and he's in relief Saturday. We need to be more proactive and take care of our pitcher's futures. I went through shoulder surgery, two 15 month rehabs, throwing with pain on a regular basis, I can't stress if enough but this is all preventable to a degree.

As I said earlier we all have a certain number of throws before things head south, but we can prolong that time and lengthen up careers by being smarter. Famous saying we all have heard "Work smarter not harder" well it applies to pitchers and their rest 100 percent. When we throw our entire body gets a workout it's not accustomed to, especially the arm muscles. We have all felt the low back pain, tenderness in the pitching arm peck muscle, some triceps and biceps soreness and that's good discomfort. The real problem is now kids go play the next day and throw a lot, or the player is a catcher and is throwing the baseball back every pitch, or hes the SS, I think you get my point. The arm can't heal properly and now we have an arm that is being over used and susceptible to an injury.

We don't lift every day do we? It has really blown my mind that the entire baseball world has not changed their mentality, especially with the money being spent on surgeries and lost contracts from over use injuries. When we hit the gym we work our muscles to the point of exhaustion, much like a pitcher works his arm. We don't go back the next day and do it again, the same muscles we just did right? Why? Muscle tissue expands, forms small tears and swells during a high intense workout. Your arm does the same, I bet your hand swells up a certain amount when your pitching, take a look next time you throw. Those small micro tears and swelling need time to heal and grow back stronger in order for us to get back after it. Normally each body part needs 72 hours of rest before beating it up again. Our arms are no different so please start treating your most valuable part of your body the right way. Let it REST!

We will talk about strengthening your arm between outings next topic because I am not saying we don't throw we just work smarter! Turn on Sportscenter and look at the list of MLB pitchers on the DL and then go back and read this again. Our pitchers arms are the future of this great game, let's take it serious.

Pitching 101, The First Inning
As we move forward with our Pitching 101 sessions I felt starting with "The First Inning" topic would be a great foundation piece. I know this was always the most challenging inning for me to concur. As a young pitcher the first inning is normally the one filled with the most anxiety and doubt. Will I start strong? Will I throw strikes, will they score? I have had those feelings of doubt and they are normal, so until I learned to control my emotions those thoughts became reality.

It starts with our preparation leading up to the game. How serious are we about this Start, have we prepared as well as we should have to be successful? The worst feeling in the world for a pitcher is knowing you should have prepared more after you have just been pulled from the game knowing your best effort was not on display. Every pitcher should develop a routine, and we will discuss that at a later time, but in order to be prepared you must follow a strict routine your body and mind can adjust to.

Once we have ironed out our preparation we need to focus on our pre game warm up. Have we stretched properly? Have we ran enough to break a sweat? These are things younger pitchers simply take for granted and need to be stressed as not only does this set you up to be successful on the mound, but will help you avoid injury. Every Pitcher should create a list of stretches for their body and arm that they feel comfortable with and build from there.

How we loosen the arm up is now where we need to focus our attention. I am a big believer in how you play catch will result in how you throw in the game. Play catch with a purpose, try and hit spots while you loosen up to train that consistent arm slot. Long toss is another important part of getting the arm ready for combat, but let's get smart with long toss. Going 300 feet, throwing the ball up in the air with a lot of carry on it promotes bad mechanics and simulates nothing at all realistic to the game. Personally at 150 feet you can still keep the ball firm on a line training hand speed and release point while still keeping the proper mechanics. *Always shuffle your feet past 75 feet*

Now that we are loose and have stretched properly its time to take it to the bullpen mound. It is crucial to have a bullpen pitch routine so you can get your work done efficiently and with a goal in mind. An example would be: Three fastballs middle, three fastballs arm side, three fastballs opposite arm side.... Once your bullpen is finished I am a big believer in facing one-two hitters in the bullpen using all pitchers, before we hit the game mound. Why? For one we will go a little extra when a batters in so now our arm is ready for that, and secondly when the first batter steps up the plate I want my mind and body to have already faced a couple hitters. It gives the pitcher the mental and physical advantage needed to compete from the first pitch.

All of this has prepared you for the First Inning of the game. As your routine develops more and more I promise you will continue to see more success on the mound and with the first inning nerves. The first batter is the toughest out, the first out is the hardest to get, and the first inning is our biggest challenge as pitchers.

*Key to attacking the First Inning
-Prepare yourself physically and mentally for the game
-Stretch your Upper and Lower body with a purpose
-Play catch with a purpose
-Face a few hitters in the bullpen using all pitches at end of session
-Deep breathe and attack first hitter with confidence and conviction

Pitching 101, Getting Back to the Basics
To be a successful Pitcher at almost any level it starts with control. I see kids today really focusing on velocity and movement pitches and simply forgetting about the basics. I am a firm believer in everything starts from your foundation and builds up off of that. Taking pride in your mechanics, especially at a young age is so vital, yet so many kids overlook the time and effort it takes to have sound, strong mechanics. Once a pitcher can be under control he can then and only then utilize his entire body through the entire motion. In order to throw consistent strikes, at any level you must first have control over your body.

I remember back to my rookie year in the Cleveland Indians organization when we were facing the Danville Braves. The No. 2 hitter was Jeff Francoeur, the No. 3 hitter was Brian McCann. I was 18 years old and intimidated some by these big name prospects. Before I had even thrown my first pitch I had lost control of my emotions, my body, and as a result my pitches. I started the game off with 5 consecutive walks, bases loaded, no outs one run in. The great part about baseball is it allows you to make quick in game adjustments, and those who can, can play for a long time. After a quick meeting with my pitching coach I was able to get my body and emotions under control which got me back on track. I escaped the inning with no further damage and to this day I still fall back to those adjustments that helped me regain control that summer evening in 2002. Here are a few things to try:

*Keys to Controlling the Body
- Holding your balance at the peak of your knee lift (Only in a Drill)
- Toe pointed down so when you stride you land strong and athletic
- Staying over the rubber as long as possible (Breaking your hands first)
- Taking a deep breath before every pitch
-  Mind in the MOMENT

*Some Popular Stories PBR NY has Done